Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana --- Monks

[JPL]

It's monks today, right? We're monkin' it?

In advance of the new article . . . what sort of monkin' needs to be monked around these parts?

- Maybe some sort of weapon-based kensai / Crouching Tiger build that could cover the martial weapons?

- Zen archer. Yeah, but we just got two archer builds last week, but still . . .

- I'm thinking a lot about build options based around what would normally be "dump stats" for any given class. Maybe an Intelligence-based warrior-sage (a la Karnak the Inhuman?), maybe a Constitution-based "iron shirt technique" guy with damage resistance. What's a Charisma monk like? Maybe a tricky drunken fist style?

 

[JPL]

To complete the thought on dump-stat monks . . . what about a high Strength monk? Would he be a sumo wrestler, or an MMA type? Combat parkour?

 

[Lackhand]

My wish-list? Sort of how the fighter has the "eldritch knight" to let them mix in a little wizard, I'd like some monks which fit a few more needs.

The "assassin" monk. We have the "burglar/illusionist" monk with the way of shadow, but I want a semimagical assassin class which subsumes flurry of blows into just one big strike ("when you use this ability as part of the first attack on your turn, you can take no more attacks until the beginning of your next turn but ..."). And which otherwise keeps stealth and movement abilities. Sort of like the Assassin's Creed assassins, who are much more monk than rogue.

The "samurai" monk. I mean, my odds are low of getting it in that specific way (thanks, Fighter Unearthed Arcana!), but the swordsage, kensai, or other weapon-focused martial take on the disciplined warrior. It can be strength based, it can encourage martial weaponry, it can maybe even make armor not as much of a trap.

The "esoteric" monk. A monk with a collection of powers (whether these be holy gifts or tattoos I'm not sure) which they tap into, sort of a re-try of the way of 4 elements monk with different enough theming to make it work.

 

[Sacrosanct]

We've had this same discussion going on in this thread for the past week or so:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?507845-What-are-people-hoping-for-in-Monk-UA

 

[Chaosmancer]

We've also got the discussion about the Monk article here

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...roduces-the-Kensai-and-Tranquility-Traditions